Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal panel displaying video data, a backlight unit having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged thereon for illuminating the liquid crystal panel, a video display control portion displaying a video as a sub-screen in a restricted video display area of the liquid crystal panel, and a backlight control portion controlling a light emission luminance of the light emitting elements of the backlight unit in response to control of the video display control portion, wherein the video display control portion controls an aperture ratio of a liquid crystal pixel lying in a region outside a sub-screen video display area to be a predetermined value, the backlight control portion controls a luminance value of light emitting element illuminating the region outside the sub-screen video display area to be a predetermined value in response to the control of the video display control portion, and a luminance of the region outside the sub-screen video display area is controlled to be a predetermined value, based on a correlation between the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal pixel lying in the region outside the sub-screen video display area, controlled by the video display control portion, and the luminance value of the light emitting element illuminating the region outside the sub-screen video display area, controlled by the backlight control portion.
A liquid crystal display (LCD) shows video data. A backlight unit with LEDs illuminates the LCD panel. A video display controller shows video as a sub-screen on part of the LCD. A backlight controller adjusts LED brightness based on signals from the video controller. The video controller sets the transparency (aperture ratio) of LCD pixels outside the sub-screen area to a specified level. Correspondingly, the backlight controller sets the brightness of the LEDs lighting this outside area to a defined level. The overall brightness of the area outside the sub-screen is set to a fixed value, determined by the relationship between the LCD pixel transparency and the LED brightness in that zone.
2. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control of the luminance of the region outside the sub-screen video display area is carried out only by the control of the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal pixel lying in the region outside the sub-screen video display area by the video display control portion or only by the control of the luminance value of the light emitting elements illuminating the region outside the sub-screen video display area by the backlight control portion.
In the LCD, as described in claim 1, maintaining a fixed brightness around the sub-screen area is achieved by adjusting EITHER the LCD pixel transparency, OR the backlight LED brightness. The LCD pixel transparency lying in the region outside the sub-screen video display area is controlled by the video display control portion OR the luminance value of the light emitting elements illuminating the region outside the sub-screen video display area controlled by the backlight control portion. One or the other is changed but not both to reach the target brightness for that outside region.
3. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the control of the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal pixel lying in the region outside the sub-screen video display area by the video display control portion is provided in accordance with the luminance value of the light emitting element illuminating the region outside the sub-screen video display area and/or with the luminance value of a light leakage of light emission from the light emitting element for illuminating a display video in the video display area.
In the LCD, as described in claim 1, the transparency of the LCD pixels around the sub-screen is set based on two factors: The brightness of the LEDs illuminating this area AND/OR The amount of light leaking from the LEDs lighting the main video area. The video display control portion is provided in accordance with the luminance value of the light emitting element illuminating the region outside the sub-screen video display area and/or with the luminance value of a light leakage of light emission from the light emitting element for illuminating a display video in the video display area.
4. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 3 , wherein control of the aperture ratio of liquid crystal pixel lying on a site corresponding to a region illuminated by the light leakage is provided so as to gradually increase according as going away from the video display area for at least a certain stretch, opposite to a variation in the luminance value of the light leakage that gradually decreases according as going away from the video display area.
In the LCD, as described in claim 3, which mentions light leakage, the transparency of the LCD pixels in the area affected by light leakage gradually increases as you move away from the main video area. This compensates for the light leakage, which decreases as you move away. The control of the aperture ratio of liquid crystal pixel lying on a site corresponding to a region illuminated by the light leakage is provided so as to gradually increase according as going away from the video display area for at least a certain stretch, opposite to a variation in the luminance value of the light leakage that gradually decreases according as going away from the video display area.
5. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the control of the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal pixel by the video display control portion and/or the control of the luminance value of the light emitting element by the backlight control portion is executed in such a manner that the luminance value of the region outside the sub-screen video display area of the liquid crystal panel is constant or gradually decreases according as going away from the video display area for at least a certain stretch.
In the LCD, as described in claim 1, the LCD pixel transparency AND/OR the LED brightness is adjusted so that the brightness of the area around the sub-screen either stays constant OR gradually decreases as you move away from the video area. The control of the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal pixel by the video display control portion and/or the control of the luminance value of the light emitting element by the backlight control portion is executed in such a manner that the luminance value of the region outside the sub-screen video display area of the liquid crystal panel is constant or gradually decreases according as going away from the video display area for at least a certain stretch.
6. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the control of the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal pixel by the video display control portion and/or the control of the luminance value of the light emitting element by the backlight control portion is effected in such a manner as to border a peripheral region around the video display area of the liquid crystal panel.
In the LCD, as described in claim 1, the adjustments to LCD pixel transparency AND/OR LED brightness are made specifically to create a border or frame around the main video display area. The control of the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal pixel by the video display control portion and/or the control of the luminance value of the light emitting element by the backlight control portion is effected in such a manner as to border a peripheral region around the video display area of the liquid crystal panel.
7. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 1 or 2 , wherein in order to illuminate a display video lying in the video display area, the backlight control portion causes light emitting element corresponding to the video display area to emit light or causes the light emitting element corresponding to the video display area and light emitting element corresponding to a proximate region outside the video display area to emit light.
In the LCD, as described in claim 1, to light the main video, the LEDs directly behind the video area are lit. OR, the LEDs behind the video area AND the LEDs in the nearby surrounding area are lit. The backlight control portion causes light emitting element corresponding to the video display area to emit light or causes the light emitting element corresponding to the video display area and light emitting element corresponding to a proximate region outside the video display area to emit light.
8. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 1 or 2 , wherein in order to illuminate a display video lying in the video display area, the backlight control portion causes light emitting element corresponding to an inner region inside the video display area to emit light.
In the LCD, as described in claim 1, to light the main video, only the LEDs in the inner region inside the video display area are lit. The backlight control portion causes light emitting element corresponding to an inner region inside the video display area to emit light. The LEDs outside the video area are off or controlled differently to provide the local dimming effect.
9. The liquid crystal display device as defined in claim 1 or 2 , comprising a memory portion storing background image data to be displayed in the region outside the sub-screen video display area, wherein the video display control portion displays the background image data of the memory portion in the region outside the sub-screen video display area.
In the LCD, as described in claim 1, a memory stores background image data to show around the sub-screen. The video controller displays this background image data in the area outside the sub-screen. The memory portion storing background image data to be displayed in the region outside the sub-screen video display area, wherein the video display control portion displays the background image data of the memory portion in the region outside the sub-screen video display area. This background image is displayed in place of simply dimming or blacking out the surrounding area.
Unknown
August 5, 2014
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